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The purpose of this interim strategy is
thus to help the government address selected issues related
to the country's development priorities. It consists of
two comp... Show More +onents: first, a small, reimbursable advisory
services program narrowly focused on activities in three
areas proposed by the government, macroeconomic statistics,
financial sector development, and private sector
development; and second, a modest agenda of strategic
studies that would provide an analytical foundation for
addressing reform priorities in the country's long-term
development strategy selected by the government. The
reimbursable services program will be implemented and
supervised by the Bank and International Finance Corporation
(IFC); and the strategic studies would be financed and
executed by the Bank and IFC in line with standard internal
procedures for such activities. Bank lending has been
neither requested nor is contemplated. Likewise, IFC has no
specific investment proposals or plans at this stage,
although it remains open to providing financial support for
small and medium-sized private enterprise development and
foreign direct investment. The interim strategy and
program's effectiveness will be measured by qualitative
criteria defined and agreed with the Turkmen authorities a
priori for each activity, rather than a conventional Country
Assistance Strategy (CAS)-type results framework. Despite
its narrow focus and small size, the interim strategy and
program pose at least three risks that will need to be
monitored and, if needed, managed. Show Less -

This Interim Strategy Note (ISN) covers
the period of August 2011 to June 2013 and succeeds the
previous Country Assistance Strategy (CAS), which was
presented to t... Show More +he Board in May 2007. The ISN focuses on the
country's recovery and stabilization needs, while
paving the way for support for long-term development. The
need for an interim strategy approach is underscored by the
current fragile political, social and economic situation in
the country. The present ISN has been guided by the insights
of the world development report: conflict, security, and
development. The strategy aims to address the stresses
underlying the conflict and critical deficits in the
capability of Kyrgyz institutions. It seeks to build wide
partnerships and aims at assured volumes of financing for
stability and development. Given the fragility of the
situation, the ISN reflects the continuum of possibilities
for a transition to economic and social stability, with the
polar ends of the possibility range being a continued
transition to stability and restoration of the foundations
of sustained growth or a stalled or failed transition, with
attendant risks of instability and failure to pursue a
development agenda. The interim strategy will be adapted to
deal with the evolving transition. It is intended that a
full CAS will supersede the ISN if the medium-term political
outlook is sufficiently clear and a country medium term
development strategy is in place. The ISN therefore aims to
partner the transition from recovery, via stabilization, to
long-term sectoral development. It will do so by supporting
not only improved governance, but also the social and
economic stabilization that is a prerequisite for sustained
governance reforms. The success of the country's
development will depend on: (i) to strengthening the
legitimacy of the state through improved governance, notably
the reduction of corruption and in the south the
establishment of an impartial security regime, within the
overall context of a comprehensive reconciliation policy;
(ii) the restoration of macroeconomic and fiscal stability
and safeguarding of essential public spending, and (iii)
protecting human capital and preserving the state's
legitimacy through quality, reliable public social services. Show Less -

This interim strategy note (ISN) is the
first to be developed after Kosovo's declaration of
independence in February 2008 and its membership in the
World Bank Group... Show More + and the International Monetary Fund (IMF)
in June 2009. Taking into account Kosovo's post
conflict and development challenges, Bank Group experience
in Kosovo, and the activities of Kosovo's other
external partners, this FY10-11 ISN proposes a selective and
targeted support program focused on: (i) accelerating growth
that is broad-based and employment-generating; and (ii)
supporting social cohesion through governance reform and
transparent, inclusive institutions. The program supported
under this ISN was jointly developed by International
Development Association (IDA), International Finance
Corporation (IFC). ISN activities in support of the first
pillar, accelerating broad-based growth, is focused in three
main areas: (i) consolidating macro stability including
fiscal reforms and financial system strengthening and
deepening; (ii) strengthening infrastructure with a focus on
energy; and (iii) promoting private sector development
through support for agriculture, cadastre and small-medium
enterprises (SMEs). Achievement of results in each of these
areas involves concerted and coordinated action between IDA
and IFC, and in the case of energy sector development it is
expected that Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency
(MIGA) will also be an active player through the provision
of political risk guarantees. ISN activities in support of
the second pillar, supporting social cohesion through
governance reform, also involve three sets of activities:
(i) support for the creation of strong, transparent
institutions; (ii) fostering inter-ethnic cooperation
through participatory economic development projects at
municipal level and capacity building for youth; and (iii)
increasing access to social services. Show Less -

This Interim Strategy Note (ISN) covers
the period of FY08. The proposed strategic and highly
targeted support in education and finance are framed within
the key PI... Show More +SG development priorities. These two sectors, by
virtue of their demonstration of gradual yet steady
improvements in the capacity of institutions, client
ownership and effective donor partnerships, relative to
other sectors, create the ground for further investments to
deepen development impact within the limited IDA resource
available for Kosovo. These proposed projects are consistent
with the two pillars of the previous ISN: (i) developing new
sources and a higher quality of economic growth; and (ii)
ensuring macroeconomic stability through sound fiscal policy
and public finance management. The effective management in a
very challenging political economy environment of ongoing
operations in education, energy, environment, public
expenditure management, and business and cadastre
development will be critical for achieving results in both
these pillars. Show Less -

This Interim Strategy Note (ISN) for
Uzbekistan takes account of governance concerns by
concentrating on technical assistance and advisory services
and limiting new... Show More + lending to global public goods and basic
social services. The ISN also proposes a focused governance
assessment in Uzbekistan's public services delivery -
including health, education and municipal utilities - where
the bulk of the Bank's financial assistance is
concentrated. Uzbekistan is characterized by significant
variation in measures of governance and the business
environment, with international expert ratings tending to
rate Uzbekistan's performance far worse than surveys of
local businesses. A focused governance analysis in the main
areas of interest for the Bank will provide clarity on the
risks involved in investing in Uzbekistan's public
sector and help to inform subsequent fiduciary arrangements.
At the same time, the ISN pilots a new approach to
involvement of local stakeholders in project design and
implementation in the context of a basic education operation
- which if successful could provide a model for future
lending, if the overall policy context supports a return to
a standard lending framework. Show Less -

Kosovo is entering a decisive phase in
its history, as discussions on resolving its final political
status begin; this is happening as domestic governmental
institu... Show More +tions assume more responsibilities from the United
Nations, and as the Western Balkans region continues its
integration with the European Union. Against this backdrop,
Kosovo continues to move from a post-conflict environment to
a development setting, creating new challenges. There is a
need to generate new sources of economic growth for Kosovo,
ensuring associated environmental and social improvements.
The energy and mining sectors have been identified as key to
future growth; abundant mineral deposits (particularly
lignite) create potential for Kosovo to attract strategic
foreign investors to export power to the region, and to
supply domestic demand. Alongside promoting sustained and
higher quality economic growth, there is a need for Kosovo
to ensure macroeconomic stability, through sound fiscal
policy, and public financial management. The Interim
Strategy Note (ISN) program is expected to continue until
the end of FY07, or until a change in Kosovo's status.
At that point, depending upon status and clarity of the
relationship between a post-status Kosovo, and the Bank, a
new assistance strategy for Kosovo would be prepared. The
proposed strategy, which would be financed from an
International Development Association (IDA) grant
allocation, further deepens the shift from post-conflict
reconstruction toward longer-term economic development,
initiated under the April 2004 Transitional Support Strategy. Show Less -